23 August 2023


New Te Reo Māori Diplomas - Te Wānanga Ihorangi

New faith-based Te Reo Māori Diplomas launched in partnership with Te Wānanga Ihorangi

On Monday, we were delighted to tautoko the launch of Te Wānanga Ihorangi, a new faith-based Te Reo Māori kaupapa that will be launching two new Te Reo Māori Diplomas in February 2024 in partnership with Laidlaw College.



Te Reo Ihirangi (120 credits, 40 weeks, L5) and Te Reo Maruata (120 credits, 40 weeks, L6) are innovative rumaki language learning programmes developed and offered in partnership with Laidlaw College, leading to Te Pōkairua Reo (Rumaki)/NZ Diploma in Te Reo (Rumaki) at L5 and L6 respectively.

Weaving together matauranga Māori, tikanga Māori and whakapono Karaitiana, these programmes will launch in a purpose-built whare wānanga in the same building as Laidlaw College’s new Henderson campus, in February 2024. Taught in immersive, small classes, with a focus on building cultural capability and on learning that enables students to directly serve their communities, these programmes provide a faith-based context for language acquisition. 

Te Wānanga Ihorangi Tumuaki (Co-Principal) Anameka Paenga says, “Ko te kaupapa o Te Wānanga Ihorangi he kaupapa i hua mai i te kōingo nui o te ngākau ki te whakatū i tētahi kaupapa hei akiaki i te reo ki te horopaki o te whakapono. He kura tēnei mō te katoa, mātua rā ko te reo Māori – ko te reo Māori te oranga o te ahurea Māori.”

The work of Te Wānanga Ihorangi comes from a desire to work to encourage language in the context of faith. This is a school for everyone, that puts the Māori language first – te reo Māori is the lifeblood of being Māori.
Anameka Paenga Te Wānanga Ihorangi Tumuaki (Co-Principal)


The Christian imperative is always to live out the Gospel faithfully in context, and so it is vital that in Aotearoa New Zealand we have more Christian leaders who have depth and breadth in Te Reo Māori to shape and serve distinctive expressions of Gospel mission.

These programmes will provide pathways for Māori and others to pursue the learning of Te Reo Māori to a high level, while also growing in faith, immersed in a Christian learning community, and preparing them for the work of serving and renewing their communities.


We are delighted to be able to tautoko this much-needed and distinctive new kaupapa, and even more to be able to do so through partnership that ensures Māori governance and leadership of the new wānanga.
Dr Roshan Allpress Laidlaw College National Principal


Please pray for this vital new initiative. If you would like to know more information about the new programmes, visit www.ihorangi.ac.nz, and if you know people who want to accelerate their language acquisition by joining the inaugural cohorts, please get in touch